The Little Tennessee River Basin includes all of the areas (watersheds) of Western North Carolina with streams that eventually flow into the Little Tennessee River. This includes the Cheoah, Nantahala, Upper Cullasaja, Tuckasegee, Cullasaja and Little Tennessee Rivers and their tributaries.

The larger lakes include Lakes Glenville, Nantahala, Santeetlah and Fontana.

On the map, this includes portions of Jackson, Swain, Macon and Graham Counties in North Carolina; and Rabun County, Georgia. Towns include Sylva, Dillsboro, Franklin, Highlands, Bryson City, Cherokee and Robbinsville.